We declare Sovereignty

As we see the August 2nd deadline looming and the two parties feuding regarding the US debt ceiling we realize that our government is not so much in the business of conducting business, but in the business of waste, lies obfuscations, and destruction of the lives of Americans and immigrants who have worked so hard to make this country a beautiful productive and successful place. For it is on the backs of these working people that the billionaires have made their fortunes and incurred this unfathomable debt. This fact is never mentioned when discussing taxing the rich and that without the poor there would be no rich and without the wars there would be little debt. I have said, a general strike would be an excellent tonic for this nation Like they do in Europe the working class comes out in mass and refuses to participate and hold up the crumbling infrastructure if even for a day. For until then, mass consciousness will remain mired in the thinking that power is in the hands of the few rather than the many because in truth without us they are nothing.

We discussed these very urgent issues last week in syncopation with the 4^th of July celebrations at the Mendopendence conference. Local folks gathered a the Mendocino recreation center in response to a call from the new director of the Mendocino Environmental Center Justin Calvino and his co-worker Sarah Bodnar in an effort to define and declare sovereignty. Much of the panel discussions over the weekend focused on the very question "What is Sovereignty?" The most common definition was “control over local resources, including media, education, energy, food, security, jobs, and health”. We have long relied on the federal government to provide us these things and at the same time we are subject to their mood swings and strange unpredictable behaviors.

Let’s take health care for example. For so long we have been begging the government to provide us with Universal health care and what we got was not. I know there have been “improvements” like the fact that insurance providers can no longer deny coverage to a patient with preexisting conditions or the fact that you can keep your children on your policy until they are 26, bravo. But how much does it cost us and what kind of health care are they providing? Well, we rank 38^th in care in the world behind Costa Rica, Chile, Denmark, etc. Most people I know that find themselves in the maze of American Healthcare get a lot sicker before they get better, if they ever get better.

In a state of sovereignty we create a local system of healthcare that sustains our health and prevents disease rather than being dependent on a system tends to be dangerous and near collapse. We have a treasure of natural remedies and herbs growing wild here in Mendocino County that could keep a majority of us in good health for a long time. Last week on Holistic Healing Perspectives we were informed about Kangen water systems that transform our water from an acidic or neutral PH to a Base PH. Listeners chimed in on how miraculously the water changed their lives for the better. Marijuana, is a locally grown medicine and is also a proven anti depressant and pain manager. From the sea we have a valuable resource in iodine rich seaweed a definite protection against free floating radiation.

In fared Saunas are also a huge health benefit and relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia, arthritis, high blood pressure, and many other ailments. Sovereignty advises that we as a community invest in this kind of infrastructure.

We discussed the power grid and a way to generate our own electricity from the Sun, wind and perhaps biomass. As we see the unemployment rate climb we need ask ourselves what kind of industries can we create? What are our assets? What are our talents? For it is not the government or the billionaires that will provide it is we, ourselves.

Of course I dream of President Obama walking out to that bully pulpit to announce a new WPA works progress administration like the one created in 1939 by FDR employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects,^[1] including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects. It fed children and redistributed food, clothing, and housing. Almost every community in the United States had a park, bridge or school constructed by the agency, which especially benefited rural and Western areas. Yes, that would be on the heels of him writing an executive order rescinding all tax breaks for anyone who makes over a million dollars a year a removing subsides for things like 126 million dollars from the Horse racing industry. 3 billion in irrigation subsides that provide our nations fast food French fries, or making a change in the the Mining Law of 1872, which regulates the extraction of hardrock minerals Since 1872, land and mineral values have risen considerably.. Between $2 billion and $4 billion worth of royalty-free minerals are extracted each year from public lands, it estimates. But I fear Mr. Obama will do no such thing. He appears to be another puppet on a string. The time has come my friends for us to claim sovereignty and you can do so at the mendopendence website.www.mendopendence.com'

Banning the Rainbow

June is gay pride month. I am so proud to be a Married Lesbian. I look forward to my other Gay brothers and sisters around the country and the world having that civil right any day now.

Diversity celebrations begin and rainbow parades are paramount from San Francisco to Amsterdam and many other cities and countries in between. Unfortunately there are those who would rain on our parade. Yesterday, In Croatia an angry mob of 10,000 descended on tiny pride parade of 200.

In Ontario Canada, A Catholic School has banned rainbows in opposition to students celebrating diversity at their school. No scary rainbows. Rainbows can make you gay.

I know it’s absurd, but people are very frightened of Gay. Tracy Morgan of 30 Rock Fame joked in Tennessee over the weekend that If his child were gay he would kill him.

There’s the vast amounts of vitriolic banter from the right wing fundamentalists, like Mike Huckabee, that suggest it is also acceptable to kill homosexuals.

Gay teenagers are in terrible danger and we lost some beautiful kids this past year because of bullying and homophobic disease. They claim that our desire to attain the same civil rights and protection status as heterosexuals is ridiculous and shameful. Tennessee has passed a law outlawing even saying the word "Gay" in public school.

At least seven countries in have the death penalty for homosexuality including, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

We are fighting for the right to stay alive, serve our country, love and marry. We want the right to come out of the closet and feel safe to love, dress, protest, sing, dance and be fabulous. I cannot fathom why that makes people hate us so much or why they think us marrying will affect their lives in anyway?

We are told that marriage is sacred to the heterosexuals. Marriage is between one man and a one woman says the Defense Of Marriage Act signed into law 1996 by Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton? So the bastards that make the laws that discriminate against gay, lesbian and transgender people violate their own laws that marriage is between a man and a woman, not a man a woman and his prostitute, his secret affair, his staffer, etc, etc, etc. Do you see the injustice? Do you see the insanity? These men who violate the marriage contract of decency, fidelity and trust between a husband and wife are in the business of defining marriage for us.

Let me go on to reference the examples of heterosexual marital behavior we have been subject to just in the last week. Rep. Anthony Weiner’s weiner has been dominating the headlines for the last ten days. We have the sick behavior of Dominick Straus Kahn, Arnold Schwarznegger, John Edwards. They are all just a bunch of weiners. Yes, they who are privileged and able to marry at the drop of a hat, scorn this sacred institution and go impregnate, tweet, grope, fondle, rape and screw with impunity. Lying to our faces. Is that a crime? To me it is.

These men are elected to political office in order to represent the people’s interests. How is it possible for lying, horny, predatory scum like this to make decisions about our rights, our protections when they have absolutely no respect for what they themselves describe as the holiest of institutions.

Marriage is between two people who love each other enough to join their lives together spiritually, physically, financially, emotionally even when the odds against love lasting are astronomical, gay or straight or different races. Marriage is a delicate, balance of giving and receiving, trust and communication. Marriage is about love. If you can find it, you’re one of the lucky ones.

Yesterday, June 12, was Loving Day. It honors the 1967 Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia which ended interracial marriage bans in 16 states. I’m so happy that happened during Gay Pride month and that Richard Loving won and was able to marry Mildred Jeter.

There will come a time when the Supreme court will decide that Homosexuals are equal under the law. Tell then, no matter what the hateful, closeted, latent, homophobic religious leaders, celebrities, politicians do to destroy, oppress, threaten, deny us our lives and happiness we will continue live, thrive, entertain and decorate this world with all the style, flair, optimism, flamboyance we can muster with Rainbows, lots of rainbows.

Climate Changed

Congratulations to the Mendocino Film Festival for an excellent offering of an independent, inspiring and educational visionary feast attracting a huge turn out that filled up the town coffers, hotels, restaurants, and spirits.

Luckily, the strange weather we're having didn't interfere with the festival unlike dozens of other outdoor venues that didn't take into account the fact that the climate has changed. I know we always talk about climate change but I think we can all agree something has definitely CHANGED.

When it's raining we as a species naturally migrate to the theater. Whether it be movie or live, we thrive in the dark chamber tucked in with our clan, a frosty or hot drink, a pastry and or the traditional buttered popcorn.

Sheba and I flew to New York last week to indulge ourselves in Broadway theater as a birthday present to me. We headed to my motherland to celebrate my 51st year here on earth. Talk about change honey, When I was a kid in NYC, Times Square was a Den of inequity. Prostitutes, drug addicts, a lot of crime. Today it is a sparkly clean Megawattage metropolis blasting beams of 50 story high digital images and eye candy including the Hershey Chocolate Cathedral catty corner to the M&M Emporium, and the Disney Store.

We stayed on 49th and Broadway at the Mayfair a classic old hotel , next to the Eugene O'neill theater, where we could see the Actor's church, St Malarky's from our window. Sheba had made a substantial pledge to KZYX and we received the premium of Dinner and a show with Amy Goodman which was our original motivation to go east.

The show was of course, Democracy Now! and dinner well, Amy was uber busy and so we had to take a rain check on that. We did, however, get to go to her new studio at 7:45 am in the Chelsea district. We got to say hi and have our picture taken with Ms. Goodman, but with pitching for pledge drives and the Arab Spring she was spinning in so many directions. You can tell by the speed of her monologues and sign offs, the lady has a lot on her plate.

We sat with other generous donors in the viewing area of the studio with a big screen TV so we could watch all the international video feed. We could see Amy through the glass partition sitting at her round table next to Juan Gonzales and featured guests. (We actually got to ride in the elevator with Juan. He is a very nice guy.)

One of the top stories of the day was the torture and killing of the 13 year old Syrian Boy, Hamsah al Kateeb, as reported by the recently released Al Jazeera Journalist Dorothy Parvaz who had just been released from Iranian Prison. Two intense stories wrapped up into one. These stories were so painfully heartbreaking. Some things never change.

I had to ask myself, how does she do it? How does she carry on day in and out reporting on this insane violence? I know she says, "this is the war and Peace report." But we rarely hear the Peace report. We wanted to hang out with Amy and basically interview her, not about the news, but about her. The first question we wanted to ask, posed by my friend Mickey was, "What do you do for fun?" I hope there's something truly wonderful in Amy's life besides the privilege of being a broadcast journalist.

We wanted to grab her and take her with us to see the Book Of Mormon, the hottest ticket on Broadway. This outrageously funny, irreverent, uplifting musical comedy was written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone creators of South Park along with Robert Lopez creator of Avenue Q. If you are familiar with either of these shows you gotta know, there's a lot of cursing, but besides that, this is the most powerful religious and social satire combined with the most fantastic musical score to invade Broadway since I've been going and that's nearly fifty years.

We follow the story of the virtuous egomaniac Elder Price and the simpleton, Elder Cunningham assigned to Uganda for their missionary posts. Naive as well, Mormons, who according to one of 16 pitch perfect Broadway show tunes, "Just Believe" are immediately introduced to the reality of life for the poor people of Uganda where %80 percent of the people have AIDS, female circumcision is rampant,Warlords are killing people at random and their only defense is to dance and raise their voices in thrilling African unity to essentially give God the finger.

The ensuing comedy is scathing, pathetic, obscene and really truly funny. This show has the unique ability to educate audiences about female genital mutilation and bring important focus to the epidemic. I was very impressed. Everyone at the 1st Wed. Matinee where I overheard one woman say she was 91 years old, gave an instant and enthusiastic standing ovation at the final curtain.

I must say that while I did very much love this show, without the obscenities it wouldn't be as funny. It's as though our sense of humor has stalled in the potty stage. When I was growing up, a show like this would never, never make it to the stage. But that's changed now. So it's not just the climate that's changed, it's everything. And while we've been hoping for change, I wish we'd been more specific.

Re-Membering

It's Memorial day and we get a three day weekend to commemorate the somber and serious service of men and women under the illusion that killing people is going to solve political problems. I have never found this to be true. Killing people just leads to more war and violence and anyone that tells you different is lying.
We go back on this memorial day to the first anti war poem ever written by a woman name Enheduana in 2000 BC.

You hack everything down in battle
God of War, with your fierce wings
you slave away the land and charge
disguised as a raging storm
growl as a roaring hurricane
yell like a tempest yells
thunder rage roar and drum
expel evil winds
You are blood rushing down a mountain
spirit of hate greed and anger
you decide all fate
You triumph over all our rites
Who can explain why you go on so?

She is already tired of war 4000 years ago lamenting it's eternal reach and habitual presence in her everyday life. So, Is it really possible for us to remember the all the dead soldiers who willingly go to war? Whether it is to make a living, gain money for education, see the world, save civilians, settle an age old gripe or secure an imaginary border.

Every one who has ever taken up arms had a reason to go to war, even if it was as mundane as boredom. Do we remember only their bravery or the war crimes they committed, the lives they ruined? Or do we simply honor their memory and service to their country. It's confusing because, A soldier fighting in Afghanistan is supposedly defending our nation, but for the life of me, I cannot deduce how that serves us. Is it international security? No. Is it financial security? No. Is it defending our spiritually? No. Is there any logical reason ? No. But somehow we all agree on some level that this is acceptable.

Parents allow their kids to go. I know they are 18 and supposedly can make adult choices, but I disagree. I think they are still children and need guidance especially from people who love them.

I would make an exception however, if in fact there was a foreign, or domestic army coming down Albion Ridge Road, where I live. I do see the benefit of taking up arms and defending one's house, just like they are doing in the countries that we have invaded.

How does that make our Military righteous? Some felt righteous as in the case of the Kaiser or Hitler, it gave them a sense of pride, patriotism, and purpose going after these really bad guys. Innocent people in villages , animals and trees were just casualties along the way. Nobody planned it that way. Battles don't really take place on the battle field anymore.

And it could happen anywhere anytime a stray bullet may find its way to your door and not even have the courtesy to knock. When I even start to consider all the dead soldiers from all the wars I just want to cry my eyes out. Here are some statistics. According to the Washington Post 6,013 soldiers have died in the Iraq/Afghan wars. 500 hundred soldiers in the Gulf war, Vietnam, over 58,168. WWII 41,000. I'll stop there. ouch.

So today we are charged with the duty of remembering. the root of that word meaning to put back together as opposed to dismembering, which is what war does. It's a big job to remember just one person let alone hundreds, thousands. Let's put Sgt. Jesus Rodriguez back together after he was blown to bits by an IED.

Everybody called him Chewy. Last November, He was just walking on patrol with a buddy, they had been looking out for each other for the last 9 months since they were reassigned to Anbar Province. They had a Rat scouting in the field but the rat got distracted. Just that morning Chewt was skyeping with his kids sending them ridiculous stretchy faces on the I-photo. They were all laughing and making promises of a bright future. We remember him 8 years ago, falling in love with his wife, Rachel in High School Biology class and before that, going to school, not doing getting the best grades, but exiling in Chorus with his clear soprano. We remember him well, the youngest of three. Lil brother. The day he was born his father planted a olive tree. His mother almost died after a hard labor, but just having Jose in her arms would revive her. She loved him and kept him in her bed. She was the light in his life.

If we do this for each solider we've lost over only the last two or three wars. Remember each one, put them back into their lives. We will have a whole let of remembering to do, we just may forget about making war and remember why we were born.

Close But No Cigar

We’ll here we are again. Luckily, this time, we avoided the Terrible rapture predicted by The Oh so righteous fundamentalist Fred Camping on Family radio.com. There are some who did experience Rapture like consequences in the guise of a 200 mph tornado in Joplin Mo and to them we must say farewell. This was followed by the dramatic volcanic eruption in Iceland, again. I would say the end is near but it’s not about weird winged creatures coming from the sky. It’s mother nature cleaning house. It’s going to be a wild ride.

I was actually down at Rapture Central on May 21^st to see if the devoted flock would be standing ready at the gates of the Oakland airport, because that’s where the radio station is on Hegenberger Ave. All I found in the parking lot around noon was a crazy right wing spoof group excited for the arrival of Jesus, a reporter from the SF Chronicle and a Minister of a nearby church who had his car smothered in bumper stickers from hood to hatchback.

One stood out in particular. Gay = Pervert. I asked him if he had a sticker that said Priest = pervert. He began to rattle off the strangest statistics I’ve ever heard. The first that proportionately because there are only %2 gay people in the US and 98% hetero that the small amount of pedophiles in the gay population are greater that the large amount in the straight population because of the size of the group. Go figure.

He also told me that most violence against gay people is gay on gay. Butches against dykes. I had to laugh. I told him, being of the Lesbian persuasion myself that I assured him that this was misinformation because in Gay linguistics, Butch’s are dykes. He said, “No, they’re not.” He also told me the origin of the word Gay was “Going after youth”. I said, “No, Gay means Happy.”

He clenched his fist to tell me how public school and the left wing media are crushing the souls of our children by legitimizing homosexuality and while he disagreed with the whole rapture prediction and was there to protest, he did feel like our society was going to hell in a hand basket because of the liberal homo agenda.

He also was absolutely positive that Global warming was a hoax. He believed that we are about to be enslaved controlled by some power mad corporate elite. That is the one thing that we agreed on. The corporations are taking over the world. I took that as a good sign. We had something in common. I pointed that out and we shook hands. I wished him luck and hoped he would find love in his Christian heart for all people one day.

With no rapture in sight nor anyone from Family Radio, I had the option to run over to Oakland for the Atheists’ convention or go to Berkeley and see the New Tom Shadyiak film I AM. I opted for the later, feeling like, if we are going to Rapture this evening at 6PM as predicted, I want to enjoy my own religious experience aligned with my divine belief system that underneath it all, everything is beautiful. I also thought if I ran into Jesus anywhere in the Bay Area it would be in Berkeley. In fact, I thought I saw him on Telegraph Ave, but he denied it. I thought everyone would be looking for Jesus. But they were busy shopping and dining.

Tom Shadyac is the Director of the Bruce Almighty and the Ace Ventura movies starring the putty faced Jim Carrey. Funny comedies, on the disgusting side, but I laughed a lot when Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura 2 looked like he was being birthed by a Rhino. Hilarious!

After a terrible bike accident that resulted in severe brain trauma that nearly killed him, Shadyac reexamined his purpose and was reborn with a mission to contribute something really productive, healthy and important to the cultural table. The film I AM is his offering. The documentary asks the questions; "What is wrong with the world and How can we fix it?" He poses this dilemma to a variety of scientists, historians, philosophers and the like including, Desmond Tutu, Howard Zinn, Lynn Mctaggert, author of the Intention experiment and a vast array of other movers and dreamers. It is not hard to express that the most threatening issues we face or a result of profit and greed, just like the preacher man said.

The interview subjects begin by questioning the premise that Human beings are competitive. We are born under that pretense and we are thrust into the classroom, the marketplace, stadium, and warzone with that paradigm as a given. After deeper investigation it becomes apparent that while we may have the competition genome we are also gifted with the cooperative gene and if we are reared with that intention supported by a society that thrives on cooperation we could and will change the world and make it a safer, better, richer, more beautiful place. Because in lieu of the rapture and the forecasting of end times, we find ourselves at a cross roads my friends. We now have glorious opportunity to recast ourselves as companions, allies and friends. We always see that especially when disaster strikes, our innate response is to safe lives even of strangers and enemies. To me this speaks of basic human nature if given the pertinent information and opportunity.

And yes, In I AM, underneath it all they scientifically prove, at least in my mind, that we are all connected, we are all one. So that angry preacher man in the parking lot is me and the best way to convert him, so to speak, is to treat him with such love and appreciation that he is healed from the smile on my face and the warmth of my handshake. Close, but no cigar.

Go to Hell Shell

There are endless things for me to rave and rant about today, like the fact that a woman is raped every minute in the Congo, or a young girl is infibulated her organs of sexual pleasure are removed), or that Bin Laden is dead yet we are still waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Then there's the ridiculous parade of republican clowns climbing out of the little red car and honking their annoying horns making obscene gestures like a some sick side show. Unions are being stripped of their rights for collective bargaining.

Did you get to see or hear about the Finance Committee hearings on May 12th for the Oilygarchs?

Get this:
The 5 largest oil companies Shell, Chevron, BP America, Conoco Phillips, and Exxon Mobile made 35 billion dollars profit in the first quarter of 2011. Democratic Chairman of the committee, Max Baucus presided over the Senate hearings on May 12th for these big boys to ask whether 2.1 billion dollars in subsides is appropriate under present circumstances. With those unprecedented Profits, admittedly not invested in research and development, but rather distributed as stock buybacks and dividends, it seems that it is...inappropriate. The CEO from Chevron was asked a simple yes or no question by Senator Schumer; "Are oil subsides more important than medicare for the elderly or education for our children?"
The very long answer did not contain either a yes or no.

Why does there have to be a hearing at all?. Why doesn't the Government say, "No more." and simply write a law that ends all government subsides for Oil Company's. The can have loans if they need it, but no free lunch. That's it.

They don't have hearings to ask seniors how they feel about having medicare cuts. They hear from no university students testifying to their right to have Pell grants, and access to education. But, these bleached and bloated white men have the favor of the highest authorities in the land. And still they lament that if they don't receive these vital subsides, well, they could go out of business.

Seven billion dollar profit for each company is not enough. The chairman of Conoco Phillips thinks it's downright un-american to even suggest that subsides be taken from them. These five rich white men sitting before the Senate Finance committee had not one grain of remorse for what they've wrought, compassion, or concern for anyone other then themselves.

I found it entirely astonishing that although the President of BP America was sitting on the Panel, that not one of our esteemed Senators thought to bring up the largest oil leak and disaster in the history of the world. No one mentioned that the Gulf of Mexico is one giant tar ball. No one mentioned the stillborn baby dolphins or dead sea turtles, or the still unknown effects of dispersant Corexit. People are still sick and dying from the negligence, arrogance and incompetence of the Oil companies, and their regulatory agencies.

This year BP had awesome profits and they expect to resume drilling in the Gulf, in fact the Government has already signed off on new drilling permits even though no changes have been made as far a new protections against blowouts and accidents. No one chimed in on the unpaid damages that Exxon still owes from the Valdez spill in Alaska in 1989.

No one mentioned the fact that Chevron has destroyed so many lives and ecosystems in Ecuador that a judge has ruled after 18 year long trial that Chevron has to pay 9 billion dollars in damages. Chevron is appealing that decision. A delegation from Ecuador will be protesting at Chevron Headquarters on May 25th to demand that Chevron pay the relief.

No one mentioned the Nigerian disaster war zone created by Shell.

No one addressed their responsibility for climate change. No one on the finance committee has the intelligence, courage, or information to address these bastards on the crimes against humanity and the planet and Tell them "not only will their subsides be revoked but they will also be ordered to pay for all the cleanup and compensate victims everywhere"

Subsides? How about jail? Evangelicals are telling us that Judgment day is on Saturday. the 21st of May. they say Jesus is coming. Good! I want him to pass judgment on mens deeds and we can finally get answers to these questions:

" Would Jesus condone obscene profits or humble prophets?"
"Who Would Jesus Bomb?"
" Who would Jesus Foreclose upon?"
What would Jesus say about the Poor, The Rich. I can't wait to here it straight from the Savior's mouth. I tell you as far as I know Jesus. He just allright with me.

If the end is near I say it's because these oligarchs delivered us .They are evil and If anyone's should go to hell Next Saturday it should be them.

Mother's Pay

We had the most marvelous Mother's Day. Our daughters joined forces and created a magnificent eggs Benedict brunch, complete with spinach, local salmon, fresh brewed organic decaf lattes, and chocolate croissants. They showered us with lily , fuchsia, and lavender plants and of course sweet cards with personal sentiments that always makes a mother cry.
The pride and love I feel in my daughters' presence is unparalleled. The fact that they came from my body makes it ever more poignant and miraculous. I with a little help from their father created these brilliant beautiful creatures and they are a true representation of my purpose here on earth. Though I try to teach them all I know about the world and it's severity and wonders, they are in fact, my teachers.
With casual ease they dismantle my ego and highlight the lessons in life that I still have to master/ or should I say mother. Patience and trust being uppermost on that list.

My mother, may she rest in peace, told me that once you give birth to children, they are on their own path, even if they die. Wow. That's a big one. But it's helped me through a lot of serious situations. I realize They have come for to learn particular lessons here and they are given choices to advance into their lives, or stagnate and repeat the karma they were born with.

Tomorrow is Vesak day which celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. So it seems auspicious to recognize this truth.

My mother also told me that having a child is like having your heart running around outside your body. I find that to be ultimately true and there are often times when I want to stick them back in there so I am guaranteed their safety and well being, but alas, they are on the loose. When I am afraid, or somehow threatened by their circumstances or behavior I have choices too.

One, I can freak out. Or two; I can trust them and the universe and now ask for the help of my mother is is a certified angel. Once I take this position which I call, surrender, I can function and assist my daughters in a way that is comfortable for them, not just a fulfillment of my agenda. I'm after master's degree, or should I say, Mothers' degree.

Nonetheless, it's full time job. A volunteer position at that. I was fantasizing yesterday about a world where a mother's work is compensated, or a matriarchal economy if you will. Doesn't that just flip your mind out.? Actually getting paid, or at least taken care of for our entire child rearing careers. That's 18 or 20 years depending on the kid.

Let me enlighten you with that vision for a moment. Instead of subsides for Oil and coal industries, financial investments would be made in our children in the form of housing, health and education. Mothers would be responsible for discovering their offspring's' natural talents, skills and abilities and providing, through the subsides, the proper tools and training for it.

Breast milk would be regarded as the most important medicine in a woman's pharmacy and she would be subsidized to share her bounty with the very sick to assist in their healing. Menstrual blood would be the best amendment to any one's garden. Menstrual blood has been used through the ages as an Earth fertilizer par excellence. During planting season, women would plant the seeds and then fertilize the ground with their menstrual blood. And if it were a Matriconomy, you wouldn't say eewww to that. But, hear me out.

There would be a vegetable garden in every yard and at the end of each meal a mother would receive compensation for extra ingredients and the time it took to prepare, serve and clean up.

Payment for Household chores would be allotted on a perdiem basis. And though there would be some form of currency, it would not dominate our existence. There would be no jobs or unemployment, we'd all just make a living

Oh, what a world it would be.

Furthermore, Dreams and oracles like tarot and astrology would have significant influence over decision making processes. All children would learn to sing and dance before they learned to read and write. Beauty would be a different standard. This is A place where teachers are rich and midwives are revered and ritual is as popular as baseball and football. And because of our uncompromised investment in our children they would grow up and be citizens of the world creating art and services that make the planet a better place. And war would cease because no mother would sacrifice her greatest investment for any reason.

This all might be true if the cultures 10,000 years ago had not been destroyed by the rise of war and domination. If this matreconomy were global we would have no child soldiers, no sex slavery, and the mothers in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, the Congo, etc, etc. Would have had a beautiful brunch on mother's day instead of hiding under the bed or running for their lives. Alas, back in the real world, as we sat down to eat yesterday we sent our prayers and strength to these and all mother's who volunteer their entire adult lives for this very worthy cause.